File-box.



No. 839,405. V PATBNTED DEC. 25, 1906.

J. D; D. MORTIMER.

FILE BOX APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1906.

A TTORNE Y5 srarns arana FFICE.

FILE-BOX.

Specification ofLettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed July 31, 1906- SerialNo. 328.634.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN DAVID DUNFORD MORTIMER, a subject of the King of England, residing at New ort, in the county of Monmouth, Englanc have invented a new and useful F ile-Box, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to file-boxes such as are adapted to receive record-sheets or duplicates which it is desired to preserve in orderly and accessible condition.

The object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive device of the character specified which can be easily filled to the limit of its capacity and then emptied readily in order to permit it to receive another batch of sheets, each batch of sheets as it is removed from the file-box being in convenient form to be stored away for safe-keeping.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide simple and improved means in connection with the file-box for punching or perfo ratin sheets, so as to permit them to be readi y fitted over the retaining-rods of the sheet-holder, which is removably fitted into the file-box.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in. view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the recise embodiment of invention herein disclbsed can be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a file-box and sheet-holder constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the file-box with the sheet-holder removed. Fi 3 is a perspective view of the sheetho der when filled. Fig. 4 is a similar view of an empty sheet-holder. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the tablets. Fig. 6 is a similar view of an improved carbon-holder.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawin s.

The file-box, which is generally designated by A, consists, preferably, of a bottom 1, high side walls 2, rovided with stop-shoulders 3, a narrow le ge 4 at one end, and a'stationarypunching member or board 5, partly closing the other end and rigidly secured to the side walls 2 and bottom 1, as shown. The stationary punching member 5 preferably is provided adjacent its upper end with a plurality of perforations or depressions 6.

Pivotally connected with the upper end of the stationary punching member 5 in any suitable mannersuch, for example, as by means of a cloth hinge 7 is a movable punching member or board 8, which is provided with a plurality of pointed projections 9, adapted to register with and enter the depressions 6 when the movable punching member 8 is forced downward againstthe stationary punching member 5.

It will be obvious that when the movable punching member 8 is raised and a sheet of paper is placed against the stationary punching member 5 the member 8 can be readily moved downward so as to punch a plurality of perforations in the sheet of paper, and thus enable it to be readily engaged with the retaining-rods of a sheet-holder for preserving the sheet in proper condition.

One advantageous feature of the punching device consisting of the punching members 5 and 8, is that it will form the necessary perforations in a sheet of paper without producing any little round disks of paper to litter the floor. In other words, the punching device forms a pluralityof holes in the paper without actually cutting away a circular portion thereof, as tis the case with most perforating devices now in use.

In order that the file-box A may be adapted to receive a large number of record-sheets and to permit them to be removed in a batch, the file-box A is provided with a removable sheetholder, (designated generally by B.) The sheet-holder B preferably comprises a lower leaf 10,which is of approximately the same size as the bottom 1 of the file-box A and is fitted against said bottom with one end resting against the ledge l and the other end resting against the stationary punching member 5. Pivotally connected with the lower leaf 10 at the end thereof adjacent the stationary punching member 5 is a lower end section 11,

which extends upward parallel with the stationary punching member 5 and terminates at a slight distance above the upper end thereof. The lower end section 11 preferably, is pivotally connected with the lower leaf 10 of the sheet-holder by means of an ordinary flexible or cloth hinge 12.

which extend toward the end section 11 and are. integrally connected with each other by an upwardly-extending loop 1-9,which is suitably embedded in the material ofthe end secttion ll, so as to retain the rods 17 securely in position. At their upper ends the retaining- .rods 17 areformed with angular threaded terminals 20,-which-are adapted to fit through suitable perforations 21 in the upper end section 14 andto be provided with small nuts22.

-It will be observed thatthe threaded terminals 20 of the retaining-rods 17 are disposed some-distance abovetheupper end of the lower end section 11, so that when the sheetholder B is placed inthe file-box A and the -.upperleaf 16, together with the upper end :section 14,-is folded over the punching device,

consisting of the members 5 and 8, sheets of ;.paper which have been previously perforated with the; punching device canbe readily en- .gaged with the angular terminals 20 and slipped down upon the retaining-rods 17, after whichthe upper leaf-16 can-be folded forward, so as to cause the upper end section 14- to engage the angular terminals 20 and the uppereleaf 16 to rest upon the stopshoulders 3 of the high side walls 2 of the filebox. -When the upper leaf 16 is resting upon the-stop-shoulders 3, so as to close the sheet holder, the punching device can be-readily .manipulated to punch azsheet, which it is desiredto file, after which the upper leaf 16 will beifolded backward and the perforationsof the sheet will be engaged with the retaining- 1 rods '17. When the sheet-holder Bis completely filled, the nuts 22 will be secured in place and the sheet-holder will be removed from the file-box, so as to permit another sheet-holder to be removably inserted therein. Thesheet-holder which has been filled can be 7 readily packed away for preservation.

In carrying on a-large businesssuch, for

'examp'le,as a shipping business, in which it -1S necessary to produce an original and several duplicates of each order-sheet-itis preferable toemploy coverless books or tablets,

such as 0, each consisting of the requisite number of sheets bound together at one end, as indicated at25. .Each time a clerk desires to make out an order he secures one of the tablets C, knowing that it contains the proper number of sheets to produce an original and the desired number of duplicates. ing the duplicates I have found it convenient In formto employ a carbon-holder D, consisting of the leaves 26 and 27 ,boun'd flexibly at two of their corners by cloth strips 28, so as to permit themto be foldedupon'themselves in either direction, and to produce a slot 29,

through which can be passed a plurality of carbon-sheets 30.

It wi-ll'be obvious that one-half of each carbon-sheet is; protected between the leaves -26 and 27, so that only the outer portion of each sheet can be used. When the outerpo'rtions of the carbon-sheets have beenexhausted, the leaves26 and 27 are reversed or folded upon themselves in the opposite direction, so as to expose the portions of the carbon-sheets which have been. previously protected by said leaves 26 and 27. lnusing one of the tablets C to produce an original and several duplicates one of theleaves 26 and 27 of the carbon-holder isused asa-stiff backing, and the exposed portions of the carbon-sheets 30 are properly arranged between the leaves of the tablet C to produce the necessary duplicates. After the original and duplicates have been produced the sheets of the tablet C are torn apart and are properly filed in file-boxes, such'as A, it'being understood that several of these-boxes will ordinarily be employed in the different departments which desire copies of the order-.

sheet.

It will be obvious that the file-box A a'nd sheet-holder B constitute simple and improved means for filing and preserving ordersheets for future reference.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the character described comprising a file-box having a punching device at one end, and a sheet-holder fitted into said file-box and having upper and lower leaves and upper and lower end sections pivotally connected together, said end sections being adapted to be folded over said punching device to permit the filing of sheets.

2. A device of the character described.

comprising a file-box having side walls provided with stop-shoulders, a punching device at one end of said file-box, and a sheetholder fitted into said file-box and having upper and lower leaves and upper and lower end sections pivotally connected together.

3. A device of the character described comprising a file-box having side wallsprovided with stop-shoulders, a punchingdevice at one end of said file-box, a sheet-holder fitted into said file-box and having upper and lower leaves and upper and-lower end sections pivotally connected together, and retaining-rods'secured to the lower end -section andadapted to be detachably engaged with the upper end section.

4. A device of the character described comprising a file-box having side wallsprovided with stop-shoulders, a lip across one end of said file-box, a stationary punching member at the other endof the file-box, a

to receive the sheets operated upon by said punching device, said retaining-rods having angular terminals secured to the lower end I 5 section and threaded terminals adapted to be engaged with the upper end section.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN DAVID DUNFORD MORTIMER. 1tnesses:

Ivon STANLEY GEORGE,

P. CHAS. OEssAE. 

